Knitting machinery



April 18, 1939. J. Mom-QN ET AL 2,155,145

KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Nov. l2, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOKS T/aRTb/Y ATTO HEYS April 18, 1939. 1 MQRTON Er AL 2,155,145

KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Nov. l2, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOKS m# 7194/ by @S5/WIM?? ATTORNEYS April 18, 1939- J. MORTON ET AL 2,155,145

KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 12, 195e e sheets-sheet 3 ATRNE'S April 18, 1939. J, MOQQTON ET AL 2,155,145

KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 12, 1956 e sheets-'sheet 4 AT1 fwn/5 April 18, 1939- J. MoRToN ET AL 2,155,145

KNITTING MACHINERY v Filed Nov. 12, 193e e sheets-sheet s ATTORNEYS April 1s, 1939. J. MRTON Er AL 2,155,145

KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 12, 1955 5 sheets-sneet 6 ATT RNEY5 Patented Apr. 18, 1939 x UNT-TED -STATES 2,155,145 xm'r'rmc mommy James Morton nay, Limited, Purley British company Application November 12,

Great Britain February 17 Claims.

This invention relates to warp knitting machines and the invention aims at providing warp knitting machines in which the construction and arrangement of the mechanical parts which take part in the knitting operation is such that these parts may be operated at a much higherspeed than heretofore, while they perform their various functions with -accuracy and precision. The invention; therefore, aims at providing knitting machines which are capable of lproducing good quality knitted fabrics very rapidly and cheaply.

In Warp knitting machines having bearded needles it has been proposed to arrange all the elements which actually perform the knitting opl5 eration, namely, the knitting needles or hooks, the Warp guides, the sinkers and the presser bars, to oscillate in timed relationship about centres. 'I'hese knitting elements are usually mounted in heavy metal supports carried in sets by' heavy longitudinal bars supported by arms arranged to be rocked to and fro about pivotal axes. In the case of the warpguides, the bar carry these are arranged to have an endwise patterning or shoggin reciprocatory motion im parted to them so that the warp guides are moved to and fro laterally as well as being oscillated in planes at' right angles to the direction in which the patterning motion takes place.k

In these machines the arrangement has hitherto been such that the, various elements that act on the warps to perform the knitting operation are oscillated about pivotal axes which are so disposed thatthe points at which the knitting elements 'act on the warps have to oscillate in arcs of comparatively large radius. The result of this is that the knitting elements together with the parts that carry them constitute somewhat heavy masses having substantial radii of gyration. Thus, these masses require large forces to move them quickly and the stresses' set up prevent the machinesv from being driven at high speed.

In orderthat the production of knitted goods may be efiicient and. economical, it has been found necessary to operate knitting machines at the highest possible speed. Accordingly, in order 4to reduce the stresses which limit the speeds at which knitting machines can be operated, itl has been proposed to make the working parts of light weight material and it has also been proposedto balance the various moving parts. However, these expedients alonev are not suicient because the inertia of the balancing weights and the moment of inertia of parts having of gyration necessitate the application of 'very i large driving forces so that speeds of operation and Robert Carlisle, England,

Way, Croydon,

or bars whichl substantial radiiV Stewart Erskine Hanaasignors to F. N. F. England, a

193s, serai so. 110,539

have to be considerably lower than the speeds that are desired. l

According to one feature of the present inveni tion the variousknitting elements are arranged to act on the warps at points which oscillate in arcs of small radii. Thus. one object of the inven'tion consists in a warp knitting machine comprising a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points 10 approximately located at a knitting centre constituted by an imaginary fixed line, supporting means for said elements arranged to allow said elements to be oscillated about axes grouped closely around said knitting centre, and means for oscillating said elements about said axes. said ele- 'ments being arranged to act on the warps at points neartheir ends which are oscillated in arcs of short radii whereby the dynamic forces due to the oscillation of said elements are lessened 20 to such an extent as to facilitate the rapid operation of the machine.

The invention is particularly applicable to warp knitting machines in which the' knitting operation is perfumed by elements including knitting needles and tongues, the latter being separate from the needles and arranged to co-operate with the needles in the drawing of loops in the warps and in the casting off of loops from the needles. The tongues and needles are arranged to be oscillated independently in timed'relationship. Accordingly, another object, of the invention is a warp knitting machine comprising a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of. warps into fabric at pointsapproximately located at a knitting centre constituted by an imaginary fixed line,vsaid elements comprising `a plurality of knitting needies arranged to draw loops in the warps, a plurality of tongues arranged to take part in the casting oi! of loops from said needles, a plurality of warp `guides arranged to lap the warps over said needles, thereby enabling said needlesto draw the loops, and a plurality of sinkers arranged to define the length of the loops drawn by the needles, supporting means for said elements arranged to allow said elements to be oscillated about axes grouped around said knitting centre, and means for oscillating said elements about said axes, said elements being' arranged to act on the warps at points, near the, ends of said elements which are oscillated in arcs of short radii so that, when the 'machine is working. the dynamic forces due to the oscillation of said to 55 such an extent as to facilitate the rapid' operation of the, machine.

In many warp ting elements arranged to be oscillated about axes, it has been found desirable to impart the necessary oscillatory motion to at least some of the elements through the medium of a cam. In slow :running machines such cams work well as the shape of the cams can be formed to give the exact movements required. The cams are sometimes arranged to work in conjunction with counter cams so that the elements associated with the cams are moved positively in both direc--v tions of action. However, when very high speeds are required, it has been found to be impossible to design a cam and counter cam motion that will operate over long periods reliably and silently at such high speeds and that will impart the exact forms of oscillatory motion that are required for certain of the knitting elements. 'Ihe present invention employs means consisting of multieccentric mechanism as a substitute for cams and which enables the necessary movements to be imparted to some of the knitting elements without shock and with more .precision and reliability than would be the case if cams were used. Thus, a. further object of the invention consists a warp knitting machine for knitting a plurality of warps into fabric, comprising a plurality of elements arranged to act on the warps and thereby take part in the knitting'process, supporting means for said elements arranged to allow said elements to be oscillated about an axis, two eccentrics, means for rotating said eccentrics in timed relationship at different speeds, two members operatively associated respectively with said eccentrics to be oscillated by said eccentrics, and link mechanism interconnecting said two members and operatively associated with said elements whereby, said elements are oscillated about said axis, the oscillation of said elements being a resultant of the oscillations of said two members. 'I'he multi-eccentric mechanism may very conveniently -be applied to the operation of the warp guides in a. knitting machine.

A warp knitting machine may incorporate one or more guide bars to each of which a plurality of warp guides are attached. Hitherto these assemblies, including guide bars and associated warp guides, have been one of the factors tending to limit the speed of operation of the machines vto which they are tted. The present invention aims at providing .guide bar assemblies which are not subject to such` dynamic forces that their speed of operation must'be unduly limited. Thus, yet anotherobject of the invention is a warp knitting machine arranged to knit warps at points approximately located at a knitting centre conn xed line, the machine comprising in combination a guide bar, a plurality of warp guides, each attached to said guide baratoneendand an'angedtoaetonawarpat the other end, a cantilever guide bar support pro-` jecting towards said knitting centre and arranged to allow said guide bar to be reciprocated longitudinally and oscillated about an axis. means for reciprocating said guide bar' longitudinally and means for oscillating' said guide bar about said axis, said guides beingof short radius. and Said axis being in close proximity to said knit- The invention further comprises the elements and combinations of parts set forth in the aninexed claims 'i In order that the invention may be clearly knitting machines having kniti "Bakelite understood and readily carried into efl'ect,'some constructions in accordance therewith will now be described, by way of example, with referenceI to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 isa sectional elevation of the knitting elements of a warp knitting machine and the supports of said element;

`Figure 2 vis a view corresponding to a portion on the line VI-VI of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of mechanism for rocking a Warp guide bar, the section being approximately on the vline VlI-VII of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a sectional'elevation showing more fully sinker-operating mechanism already shown partially in Figure l; n

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a sinker;

Figure l0 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of mechanism for rocking the warp guide bars;

- Figure 11 is an elevation of a modied form of sinker and associated mechanism;-

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view showing another modiiied form of sinker and co-operating parts:

Figure 13 is a sectional view of a modified form of arcuate knitting needle, the co-operating tongue and sinker also being shown;

Figure 14 is adetail sectional view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the needle hook and tongue tip;

Figure 15 is a view corresponding to Figure 13 but showing a modified form of sinker and its supporting parts.

Referring rstly to Figure '1, the knitting elements therein shown consist of hook needles a, co-operating tongues b, sinkers c and two warp guides d. Each of these elements constitutes one of a long series carried by a bar, the needle bar being denoted by 20, the tongue bar by 2|, the sinker bar by 22 and each warp guide bar by 23. Each series is composed of groups, or "sections", of elements embedded in blocks removably attached side by side to the respective bar, a needle block being denoted by 24, a tongue block by 25, a sinker block by 26 and guide blocks by 21. The manner in which the guide blocks are arranged side by side along a warp guide bar 23 is shown in Figure 3. The various blocks are being a section on the line V-V of Figure 2 and Figure' being a section preferably made of light-weight mouldable material; for example, a synthetic resin such as or other light-weight organic plastic material, or alternatively' a light-weight "fusible alloy.

Although two warp guide .ba'rs are shown, it

is to be understood that only one of such bars .or any other practicalnumber thereof may be provided in' a machine.

'I'he knitting elements are all oscillatory, and. as shown in Figure l, their axes of` are grouped closely around the knitting zone. said axes being located within the circle e drawn through the axis of the sinkers and about the knitting centre; i. e. the approximate centre of the knitting zone. radius of the arc in In the example shown, the

oscillation which the needles and their f tongues oscillate is approximately only two-anda-quarter inches, and the radius of the arc of theguides is or can be made nearly the same, being only slightly greater in the example. The radius of the circle '-e is approximately four-,anda-quarter inches. It will be Seen that the knitting centre is approximately midway between the sinkers axis of oscillation and the warp guides' axes of oscillation.

. In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the axis of oscillation of the sinkers is located outside the arc of movement of the needles yet c1ose` to the knitting centre, but it may be located Within the arc of movement of the needles and nearer the knitting centre in the manner shown in Figure 11. 1

The manner in which the knitting elements are supported is brieiiy as follows:

As regards the needles a, thel needle bar is carried by several short arms 28, of which one is shown and these arms, which are suitably spaced apart, are adapted to oscillate about the axis of a supporting shaft 29 arranged, as shown, close to and directly below the knitting centre. As regards the tongues b, the, tongue bar 2i is carried by several short arms 30, of which one is shown, and these arms which are likewise spaced apart are also adapted to oscillate about the axis of the shaft 29. Each tongue is slidably guided in a groove inthe arcuate .shank of they associated knitting needle. As regards the sinkers c, the sinker bar 22 is carried by several short arms 3l, spaced apart, of which one is shown, and these arms are secured to a rock f shaft 32, arranged close to the knitting centre and about whose axis they are adapted to oscillate. As regards the warp guides d, they are secured in their guide blocks 21 which are attached to the guide bars 23 and each guide bar 23 has. its own combined pivotal and slidable mounting embodying journals carried in one of two normally stationary and superposed 1ongitudinal casings 33, 34. The casings are arranged to project forward towards the knitting centre and support the pivotal mountings of the guide bars in close proximity to the lguides so that the guides can oscillate at short radii with their axes Aoi! oscillation close to the knitting centre.

As the axes of oscillation of the knitting elements are close to the knitting. centre the elements operate in arcs of short radii and so lessen the dynamic forces set up by the moving masses.

Warp threads f are led through the upper and l lower guides d and looped round the hooks of the knitting needles a.

In the operation of the machine, during which all the elements a, b, c, and d oscillate in timed' relationship, the tongues b co-operatewith the hooks to cast olf the loops from the needles and thus form stitches, the sinkers serve to control the formation and length of the stitches, and the warp guides serve to lap the threads f round the preferably made of self-lubricating material secured (for example, by screws) in pairs to the respective thin fiat bar 23. The segmental members composing each pair are arranged at opposite sides of the respective bar (see Figure 2) and their surfaces together present portions of the surface of a cylinder. 'I'hese pairs'are arranged at intervals throughout the length of the bar, the arrangement being illustrated at the middle o'f Figure 3.' The members 35 are journalled in part-circular bearings provided in the top and bottom halves of the casings 33, 34, which are partly hollow and extend from side to side of the machine, each casing being formed with annular ends 40 mounted in supporting brackets 4I on the frame of the machine. In Figure 3, as regards the upper warp guide bar 33, only the right hand end. thereof and the supporting bracket 4l at that end are shown. The casings 33, 34, constitute normally stationary supports for the guide bars and parts of their operating mechanism. J

Each warp guide bar is of comparatively narrow rectangular cross-section, and may be made of a light strong metal or alloy or of metal-reinforced organic plastic material.

The self-lubricating material of which the segmental members 35 are preferably made may be a metal or alloy impregnated with oil or graphite or a light-weight organic plastic material incorporating graphite.

For the purpose of rocking the guide bars 23, there are provided in the respective casings 33, 34, two rock shafts 4,2, 43, which extend alongside the respective guide bars and are `iournalled at spaced intervals in bearing bushes 44 fitted intov the interiors of the casings. At intervals along each of the rock shafts 42, 43,V the arms 45 are provided in pairs, one pair of these arms being shown in Figure 3 and other views of the arms being given in Figures 2, 5 and 6. -As shown, each pair of arms extends from a boss 46 secured to the respective rock-shaft. Distance-pieces 41 are provided on each rock-shaft between the bearing bushes 44 and the bosses 46 and also between successive bushes 44 (Figure 3). Each pair of arms 45` is connected to one of a plurality of spaced eye-pieces 48 on the respective guide bar 23 by an eccentric device, which consists of an eccentric 49 with end trunnions 50 ,(Figures 5 and 6), the eccentric being a neat turning and sliding `fit in extensions 5i rigidly bolted and pinned to the arms 45. The arrangement is such that, when the rock-shafts 42, 43 areturned in their bearings, the guide bars 23 are also forced to'turn in their bearings, the rocking forcei being transmitted through the eccentric devices 49, 50 which turns relatively to both the eye pieces 48 and the arm-extensions 5i `to compensate for variations in the distance between these parts.

It will be manifest that the two warp guide bars-described and illustrated are each rockable relatively to the other with the journals 35 arranged at intervals valong the middle of the bar itself, the axis of said journals extending through the body of the bar; that rocking forces are applied to each of the guide bars at intervals throughout its lengthiand that the bearings in which the journals 35 turn constitute also the guideways along which the shogging movements of the bars take place.

Each of lthe rock-shafts 42,V 43A has its own mechanism for rocking it, the mechanism for the respective shafts being substantially similar and being enclosed in casings 52, 53 at opposite sides of the machine (Figure 3). The rocking-mechanism of the upper rock-shaft 42 is shown in Figure 7, such mechanism involving the use of two eccentrics. As shown, eccentrics 54,55 are keyed to parallel shafts 56, 51. The eccentric-carrying shafts 56,'51 are driven from the shaft 56 through pairs of gearwheels 56, 66 and 6|, 62. The wheels 59 and 66 have the same number of teeth and the wheel 6| has -twice as many teeth as the wheel 62, so that the shaft 51 lrotates at the same speed as the shaft 56 and the shaft 56 rotates at twice that speed. The shaft 56 is a section of the machines main-shaft, which is shown also in Figure 1, being indicated therein by 66. 'I'he ends of the respective eccentric rods 63, 64 are coupled together by a floating link 65, and this linkgis coupled between its ends to a lever 66 having a stationary fulcrum 61. The lever 66 is connected at opposite ends by links 66 to a lever 69 secured to a shaft 16 sleeving the rock-shaft and detachably coupled thereto by a coupling 16a (Figure 3).

'Ihe coupling between the rock-shaft 43 and its mechanism differs from the foregoing in that a shaft 1|, rocked by mechanism corresponding to-that shown in Figure 7, is coupled at 1|a to If desired, provision may be made-for adjusting the axis of connection between the floating link 65 and the lever 66 and/or for adjusting the phase relationship of each eccentric to the other.

The guide bars derive their shogging motions from pattern cams secured one above the other to arotary cam shaft. In Figure 3, the cam shaft is denoted by 12 and one of the pattern cams by 13. The cam follower consists of a roller 14 on a lever 15 which is attached by an adjustable link 16 to the adjacent end of the respective guide bar. 'I'he roller is maintained against the cam by a strong tension spring 15l acting on the lever 1 5 against the pull of a steadying tension spring 11 acting on the far end of the guide bar.

To facilitate the operation of threading the guides d, provision is made for pivoting the upper casing 33 about the axis of the rock shaft 42 and its guide bar into a raised position, such being possible by virtue of the nature of the mounting of the annular bar ends 46 in the brackets 4|. The aforesaid provision includes a handle 18 (Figures 1, 3 and 4) which can be turned rearwardly and downwardly'until it has displaced and has become locked by a self-locking manually releasable catch 161 which is pivotally mounted on a plate 162 on the adjacent bracket 4| and which normally 'rests upon a stop 163. In Figure 4, the handle 16 is shown locked by the catch 161. Prior to raising the casing 33 by the handle 16, the coupling 16a between the shafts 42 and 16 is manually detached. Normally,

the uppercasing 33 is fastened to the lower casing 34 by means of a screwed clamping pin 16 (Figure l) adapted to be passedinto a slot 161 (Figure 3) in the upper casing and screwed into the lower casing.

The needle bar 26 receives its oscillatory m'o-f vsimilar levers arranged at intervals along the shaft 26. correspondingly, the tongue bar 2| receives its oscillatory motion from a group of eccentrics keyed to, and arranged at intervals along, the shaft 66, and said eccentrics are embraced by straps whose eccentric rods are pivotally attached to the levers 36 journalled on the shaft 29; one of these eccentrics being indicated by 64 and the respective short eccentric rod by 65. The needle-operating eccentrics are set in advance of the tongue-operating eccentrics at an angle of 261/2", which has been found to ensure accurate cooperation between each needle-hook and tongue.

The rock-shaft 32 supporting the sinker-bar 22 and series of sinkers c thereon receives-its rocking motion from two or more similar cams spaced apart along and keyed to the rotary shaft 66, one of these cams being shown in Figure 8 and being indicated by 66. Each cam has for its follower a roller 61 on a lever-arm 66 clamped rigidly to the rock-shaftA 32, there being the same number of lever-arms as cams. The arm 66 is maintained in contact with the cam by a spring 66, and a stationary but adjustable stop 66 serves to prevent vibration between the cam and roller when the latter is riding upon the inactive portion of the cam face.

The sinkers c consist of a series of inter-needle blades respectively presenting active fabricengaging edges 9|, 62 (Figure 9) which restrain the fabric from following the needles as they are advanced and returned and also control the length of the loops formed in the warps by the needles.

The active fabric-engaging edges of each sinker emerge into one another in the form of a recess 63, at one side of which is the main body of the sinker and at the other side a projection 64 extending approximately parallel to said body. The recess may be utilised for the introduction of the Wefts b to be bound into, the body of the fabric.

'I'he sinker edges 92 which restrain the fabric from following the returning needles serve the function of the usual stationary tricks, which are therefore, in this case, unnecessary. These edges are slightly arcuate, and a tangent to one of these edges where it crosses the upper needle surface is substantially at right `angles thereto. Accordingly the oscillatory sinker motion is arranged to take place about an axis (namely, that of the shafts 32) in or near the plane of movement of the upper needle surfaces where these are crossed by the edges 92.

The sinkers are adjustable relatively to the knitting centre by moving the shaft 32 and its bearing'brackets 96a by means of screws 65h, which are screwed through fixed lugs 65o on the caps`of the bearings 66a of shaft 66. The adjustable bearing brackets a. have feathers 65d j movable on fixed guides 95e on the caps of the bearings 66a and are clamped in position by screws 65f each passing through a slot in its brackets 95a. When the screws 65f are slackened, the sinker bar can be nicely adjusted relatively to the knitting centre by the screws 65h. The arms 66 can also be adjusted angularly o'n the shaft 32 owing to provision of the clamping device 66 (see also Figure 8). This has the effect of adjusting the positions ofI the sinkers about the axis of the shaft 32.

The construction of the warp knitting machine parts hereinbefore described can be modified inv various modifications and alternatives will now be described by way of example.

Regarding the mechanism for actuating the rock shaft 42, 43, the eccentric mechanism described (Figure 7) has certain advantages over cam mechanism. Nevertheless cam mechanism can be adopted; for example, mechanism including cam-followers maintained by springs against the cams, or alternatively mechanism including cam-followers actuated by cams and countercams. Or other multi-eccentric arrangements can be adopted; for example, a triple-eccentric arrangement such as shown in Figure 10.

Referring to Figure 10, the arrangement therein shown differs from that according to Figure '1 mainly in that a third eccentric is provided on a shaft |0| parallel to other two shafts |02, |03 having eccentrics |04, |05 whose eccentric rods |06, |0'l-as in the previously described arrangement-are coupled by a floating link |08. The shafts |0|, |02 and |03 are rotated through gearing at speeds bearing the ratio 3:2:1. The end of the third eccentric rod |00 is coupled by a second floating link |10 to a point (which may be adjustable) between the ends of the first oating link |08; and the second floating link. ||0 is coupled at a point (which may be adjustable) between its ends to the stationarily fulcrumed lever 66, As in the previously described arrangement, this lever has an operative connection through links 68 with the rock shaft 10, 42 or 1|, 43 to be actuated, Again, the'eccentrics may be angularly adjustable in relation to one another.

In a triple-eccentric arrangement such as `above described, it is possible to provide a floating link such as |08 between any two of the eccentric rods and connect that link to another link such as ||0 connected to the third eccentric rod.A

It will be clear that multi-eccentric arrangef ments, such as before described, afford a comparatively Wide range of motions. l Y

Referring to Figure ll, which shows an arrangement whereby the axis of oscillation of the sinkers is contained within the arc of movement -of the needles, the sinkers c1 stand erect in series positions of which are controlled by adjustable eccentricsgl24, the rods |25 of which are pivotally connected toV the adjacent ends of the vlevers |23. The sinker bar has pin-and-slot connections |26 with tumblers |21 journalled on the fulcrum shaft |28 of the levers |23 and connected to an adjustable link |29, which is attached to a bell crank |30 oscillated by a rotary cam lill,| from which the tumblers |21 transmit the requisite up-and-down oscillatory motion to the sinkers c1. The shaft |28 may also carry levers like the levers 28 and 30 (Figure 1) supporting the needles and tongues.

The arrangement according to Figure l1, in which the sinkers are arranged to oscillate about an axis located between the needles and 'their axis of oscillation, gives direct access to the needles and tongues for the purpose of effecting replacements of damaged or broken parts. Y

According to the modification shown in Figure 1'2, a series of stationary inter-needle trick" blades a' are provided, these being especially suitable in a machine adapted to knit fabrics incorporating stuffer warps; and, a series of sinkers c?, preferably recessed, are provided to oscillate 1n pin-and-fork or .pin-and-slot connections.

the same manner as sinkers c. Trick blades such as aforesaid are embedded (like the other knitting elements) in blocks secured' side-by-side along a bar. One of these blocks is denoted by |40 and the bar by |4|. The bar has a stationary support |42 and it may .be vertically adjustable. There may be one of said sinkers c2 per trick blade i, and `there would be one trick blade per knitting needle; but, where the sinkers are. intended also to introduce wefts, their number may be considerably reduced, since the weits assist to restrain the knitted fabric from following the needles as they advance and thus assist the sinkers in this function.

Regarding the knitting needles and tongues, an alternative form is illustrated in Figures 13 and 14. As 'shown therein,.the needle a1 has a hook which is downturned to face the axis of oscillation; and the tongue b1 passes from its oscillatory bar through an opening a2 in the needle shank, the tongue being slidable near its endalong the arcuate inner portion of the needle. The form of the sinker C3 has been modified as shown to suit the action of the needle and the changed direction in which the fabric g is led away from the knitting zone. The sinker C3 is supported and oscillated in similar manner to the sinker C according to Figure 1.

`The arrangement according to Figure 15 dif- I fers mainly from that according' to Figure 13 as regards the manner in which the sinker C4 is supported and oscillated. As shown, the sinker bar |50 is simply secured directly to an oscillatory shaft |5|.

Although for high speed working the knitting needles are preferably arcuate and are arranged to co-operate with independently operated tongues, yet, the same principle may be applied to latch or bearded needles and the needles may or may not be arcuate.

Regarding the eccentric devices 49, 50, connecting the arms of the rock-shaft 42, 43, to the Warp guide bars 23, -any of the various other connections can be adopted instead. For ex-` ample, the same effect can be obtained by using A1- ternatlvely, simple pin-joints may be used, in which event however the guide bar would be laterally displaced during 'the rocking movement and accordingly the bar would not be rigidly secured to the segmental members 35 but would be laterally displaceable relatively thereto.

Regarding the provision of a `rock-shaft (42 or 43) and casing (33 or 34) for each warp guide bar, two or more bars may have their bearings in a single casing and may have operative connections with a single rock shaft. The operative connections, lwhether between a rock-shaft and a. single bar or a rock-shaft and two or more bars can involve the use of cams. Where there are two or more rock-shafts, these can be driven in common by the same actuating mechanism Although we have described and shown rock shafts as being employed for effecting the oscillatory movements, rotary shafts with cams can be employed vfor the purpose.

If desired, instead of providing as the Vguidebar journals segmental members 35 made of selflubricating material these can be made of any good journal metal and provision can .be made for the application of lubricant. K'I'he casing constituting a supporting bearing for a guide bar, or guide bars, may be madel as a receptacle for lubricant, in which event some form of'seal would be lprovided between adjacent segmental members to prevent egress of the lubricant. For example, absorbent material such as felt or cotton could be packed into the spaces between adjacent segmental members, and such material would serve to lubricate the bearing surfaces lcomprising a row of knitting needles arranged to draw loops in the warps, a row of tongues arranged to take part in the casting ofi of loops from said needles, a row oi warp guides arranged to lap the warps over said needles, thereby enabling said needles to draw the loops, and a row of sinkers arranged to denne the lengths of the loops drawn by the needles, a plurality of long, thin bars allocated respectively to said rows of knitting elements and each carrying one row of v said knitting elements parallel to said knitting centre, pivotal supporting means for each of said bars distributed along the length thereof to hold same against deflection while\ permitting pivotal movement about a fixed axis parallel to and close to said-knitting centre and means for oscillating said bars about their respective axes, said elements being arranged to act on the warps at points near the ends of said elements which are oscillated in arcs of short radii.

2. In a warp knitting machine, in combination a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centre constituted by an imaginary .fixed line, said elements comprising Ia row of needles for drawing s loops in the warps, a row of tongues for taking part in the Vcastinglod oi' the loops from the needles,'a row of warp guides for lapping the warps over the needles so thatV the latter can draw the loops, and -a row of sinkers for dening the lengths of the loops drawn by the needles, supporting means for said needles, supporting means for said tongues, said-two supporting means being arranged to allow said needles and said tongues to be oscillated independently about a common axis in close proximity to said needles and tongues,\supporting means forsaid warp guides arranged to allow said warp guides to be oscillated about an axis remote from said firstmentioned axis and in close proximity to said warp guides, supporting means for said sinkers arranged to allow said sinkers to be oscillated about an axis remote'from said previously-mentioned axes and located in close proximity`to said sinkers but on the side of said knitting centre remote from said second-mentioned axis while said sinkers are located on the side of said knitting centre remote from said warp guides, and means for oscillatingvsaid elements about said axes, said elements being arranged to act on the warps at points near the ends of said elements which are oscillated in arcs yof short radii, each of said supporting means comprising a bar, inherently subiect to deflection under its own.

weight carrying its respective row of knitting ele-- ments, and pivotallymounted elements supporting the bar at points distributed along the length thereof to hold it against deflection.

, 3. In a warp knitting machine, in combination a plurality oi' elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality oi.' warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centre constituted by an imaginary xed line, said elements comprising a row -of needles for drawing loops in the warps, a row of tongues for talnng part in the casting oi of the loops from the needles, a row of warp guides for lapping the warps over the needles so that the latter can draw the loops, and a row of sinkers for defining the lengths of the loops drawn by the needles, two supporting means associated respectively with said needles and said tongues and arranged to allow said needles and said tongues to be oscillated about a common axis in close proximity to said knitting centre, supporting means for said warp guides arranged to allow said warp guides, to be oscillated about anL axis remote from said first-mentioned axis and in close proximity to said knitting centre, supporting means for said sinkers arranged to allow said sinkers to be oscillated about an axis located on the side of said knitting centre remote from said second-mentioned axis and approximately the same distance from saidknitting centre as the distance of said second-mentioned axis from said knitting centre, means for oscillating said elements about said axes, said elements being arranged to act on the warps at points near the ends of said elements which are oscillated in 'arcs of short radii, and

each of said supporting means comprising along, thin bar, carrying its respective row of knitting elements, and pivotally mounted elements. supporting the bar at ,points distributed along the length thereof to hold it against deflection.

4. In a warp knitting machine, in combination a plurality of elements arranged, when'the machine is working, to take part in the knitting o f a. plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centreconstituted by an imaginary fixed line, said elements comprising a row of needles for drawing loops in the warps, a row of tongues for taking part in the casting oft of the loops from the needles, a row of warp guides for lapping the warps over the needles so that the latter can draw the loops, and a row of sinkers for dening the lengths of the loops drawn by the needles, two supporting means respectively forsaid needles and said tongues arranged to allow said needles and said tongues to be oscillated about a common axis in close proximity to said knitting centre, supporting means for said warp guides arranged to allow said warp guides to be oscillated about an axis remote from said first-mentioned axis and in close proximity to said knitting centre, and supporting means for said sinkers arranged to permit said sinkers to be oscillated about an axis located between said needles and said mst-mentioned axis, each of said supporting means comprising a long, thin bar, carrying its respective row of knitting elements, and pivotally mounted elements supportingthe bar at points, distributed along the length thereof to hold it against deection.

5. In a warp knitting machine, in combination, a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centre l,constituted by an imaginary ilxed line, said elements comprising a plurality of knitting needles for drawing loops in the warps and a plurality of warp guides for lapping the warps over theneedles to enable the loops t'o be drawn, supporting means for said needles including a bar, carrying said needles, and pivotally mounted elements holding said bar against deection and arranged to allow said needles to be oscillated about an axis located in close proximity to said knitting centre, al guide bar to which said WaIIP guides are attached, supporting means for said guide bar arranged to hold said guide bar against deflection while allowing said guide bar to be reciprocated longitudinally and to be oscillated about an axis extending along said guide bar in closeproximity to said knitting centre, means for oscillating said needles about said first-mentioned axis, meansnfor oscillating said guide bar l5 about said second-mentioned axis, and means for reciprocating said guide bar longitudinally, said elements being arranged to act on the warps at points near the ends of said`elements which-,are oscillated in arcs of short radii.

tion a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centre constituted by a fixed imaginary line, said elements comprising a plurality of knitting needles for drawing loops in-the warps and a plurality of warp guides for lapping the warps over the needles to enable the loops to' be drawn, supporting means for said needles arranged to -allow said needles to be oscillated about an axis located in lclose proximity tol said knitting centre, means for oscillating said needles about said' axis, a guide bar to which said warp guides are attached, journal members mounted on said guide bar, a supporting structure for said guide bar, said supporting structure being formed with jourv nalbearings embracing said journal members and aranged to allow said guide bar to be reciprocated longitudinally and oscillated about the axis of said journal members, and eccentric and eccentric-rod gear operative to impart os' cillatory motion to said guide bar about said axis of said journal members, the arrangement being such that saidtaxis of said journal members is located in close proximity to said knitting centre so that the points atwhich the -warp guides act on the warps are oscillated in arcs of short radii. x

7. In a warp knitting machine for knitting a plurality oi warps into fabric, in combination a plurality of elements arranged to act on the warps and thereby take part in the knitting process, supporting means for 'said elements arranged to allow said elements to be oscillated about an axis, a, plurality of eccentrics, means for rotating said eccentrics in timed relationship at different speeds, members operatively associated respectively with said eccentrics to be oscillated the warps, thereby taking partin the knitting process, a guide bar to .which said" Warp guides are attached, supporting. means for said guide 0 7 bar arranged to allow said guide bar to be oscillated about an axis extending along said guide bar, two eccentrics, means for rotating said eccentrics in timed relationship at different speeds, 75 two members operatively associated respectively `6. In a warp knitting machine, in combinaby said eccentrics, and link mechanism interwith said eccentrics to beoscillated by said eccentrics, and link mechanism interconnecting said two members with said guide bar whereby said guide bar is oscillatedl about said axis, the oscillation of said guide bar being a resultant of the oscillations of said two members.

9. In a warp knitting machine, in combination a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximat'ely located at a knitting centre constituted by an imaginary fixed line, said velements comprising a plurality of knitting needles for drawing loops in the warps and a plurality of warp guides for lapping the warps over the needles to enable the loops to be drawn, supporting means for said needles arranged to allow said needles to be oscillated about an axis located in close proximity to said knitting centre, means for oscillating said needles about said axis, aguide bar, each warp guide being attached at one end to said guide bar and arranged to act at its other end on a, warp, supporting means for said guide vguide bar is oscillated about said second-mentioned axis by said rock shaft when the latter is oscillated.

10. In a warp knitting machine, in combination, a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centre con' stituted by an imaginary fixed line, saidr elements comprising La plurality of knitting needles arranged to draw loops in the warps, a plurality of tongues arranged to take part in the casting off of loops from said needles, a plurality of warp guides arranged to lap the warps over said needles, thereby enabling said needles to draw the loops, a plurality of sinkers, supporting means for said elements arranged to allow said elements to be oscillated about axes grouped closely around saidvknitting centre, means for oscillating said elements about said axes and a plurality of fixed trick blades serving in co-operation with said sinkers torestrain movement of the loops with the needles when the latter are oscillated, said elements being'arranged to act upon Xthe warps at points near the ends of said elements which are oscillated inthe arcs of short radii.

11. In a warp knitting machine, in combination, a plurality cf elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of afpluraliny of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a'knitting centre constituted by an imaginary fixed line, said elements comprising a plurality of sinkers, at least twice'as many needles as there are sinkers, as many tongues as there'are needles and a plurality of warp guides supporting means for said elements arranged to allow said elements to be`oscillated about axes grouped closely around said knitting centre, means for oscillating said'elements about said axes, and as many fixed trick blades as there are needles, said needles being arranged to draw loops in the warps, said tongues being arranged to take part in the casting off of the loops from said needles, said warp guides being arranged to lap the warps over said needles, thereby enabling said needles to draw the loops and said trick blades being arranged to co-operate with said sinkers so as to restrain the movement of the loops with the needles when the latter are oscillated.

12. In a warp knittingmachine, in combination a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take partin the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting centre constituted by an imaginary ilxed line, said elements comprising a plurality of knitting needles arranged to' draw loops in the warps and a plurality of sinkers arranged to ,define the length of the loops drawn by the needles, supporting means for said needles arranged to allowzsaid needles to be oscillated about an axis, a shaft to which said sinkers are attached, supporting means for said shaft arranged to allow said shaft to be oscillated about an aids parallel to said first-mentioned axis, adjusting means for said second-mentioned supporting means through the medium of which the position of said shaft relatively to said knitting centre may be adjusted within a predetermined range, and means for oscillating said shaft about said secondd'mentioned axis, said last mentioned means including a plurality of cams mounted to rotate about a xed axis, cam followers fixed to said shaft and resilient means holding said cam followers in position to be engaged by said cams in all positions of said shaft within its range of adjustment.'

13. In a warp knitting machine, in combination a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approxmately located ata knitting centre constituted by an imaginary ilxed line, said elements comprising a plurality of arcuate knitting needles formed with hooks having their tips disposed on the inner arcuate sides of said needles, and a plurality of arcuate ytongues having their operative ends disposed respectively on the inner arcuate sides of said knitting needles, supporting means for said knitting needles attached to the latter at their ends remote from the hooks and arranged to permit said knitting needles to be oscillated about an axis located in the vicin-l 14. In a warp knitting machine, in combination a plurality of arcuate needles formed -with openings intermediate their ends and with hooks having their tips disposed on the'inner arcuate ,sides of said needles, supporting means for said vneedles arranged to allow said needles to be oscillated about a common axis disposed remotely from said needles and on the inner arcuate sides and said needles about said axis in timed relationship.

15. In a warp knitting machine, the vcombination of a plurality of hook needles mounted for oscillation about an axis parallel to and in close proximity to the knitting centre constituted by a xed line substantially ink which a plurality of warps are knitted by the machine into fabric, a plurality of tongues operative to close the hook needles and mounted for oscillation about said axis, means for oscillating said needles and said tongues about said axis, a plurality'of warp guides mounted for oscillation about a second axis parallel to the knitting centre and spaced therefrom substantially the same distance as the first-named axis is spaced from the knitting centre, means for oscillating said warp guides about said second axis, a plurality of sinkers mounted for oscillation about a third axis parallely to the knitting centre and spaced therefrom substantially the same distance as the rstnamed axis is spaced from the knitting centre, and means for oscillating said sinkers about said third axis.

16. In a warp knitting machine, in combination, a plurality of elements arranged, when the machine is working, to take part in the knitting of a plurality of warps into fabric at points approximately located at a knitting center constituted by an imaginary fixed line, said elements comprising a row of knitting needles arranged to draw loops in the warps, a rowof tongues arranged to take part in the castingotf of loops from saidneedles, a row of warp guides arranged to lap the warps over said needles, thereby enabling said needles to draw the loops, and a row of sinkers arranged-to define the lengths of the loops drawn by said needles, a pair of long, thin bars carrying respectively to said rows of needles and tongues parallel to said knitting center, supporting means for each of s aid bars distributed along the length thereof to hold same against deection while permitting to-and-fro movement to said bar, a pair of long, thin bars allocated respectively to said row of warp guides and vsaid row of sinkers and each carrying one of said two last-mentioned rows parallel to said knitting center, and pivotal supporting means for each of said two last-mentioned bars distributed along the length thereof to hold same against deflection while permitting pivotal to-and-fro movementv about a ilxed axis parallel to and close to said knitting center.

17. In a warp knitting machine of the` character set forth in claim 16 in which the elements are `arranged' to act on the warps at points near the ends of said elements which are oscillated in arcs oi' relatively short radii. i

JAMES MORTON. l

ROBERT STEWART ERSKINE HANNAY. 

